[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 112 (Thursday, July 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OAKLAND LIVINGSTON 
                          HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2014

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency's (OLHSA) 50th Anniversary. 
OLHSA, founded in 1964 as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War 
on Poverty, provides over 70 collaborative programs to the elderly, 
disabled, and low-income residents of Oakland and Livingston Counties.
  Created with the mission of empowering individuals to attain self-
sufficiency, OLHSA has developed a long record of success. Just last 
year, it provided information, advice, and material assistance to over 
50,000 people--support that helped them to improve their own lives, as 
well as the vitality of their communities. OLHSA provided them with 
crucial resources such as food assistance, tax preparation, financial 
planning, foreclosure prevention counseling, referral guidance, early 
childhood development and energy assistance.
  Recognizing the key role that education plays as a tool that empowers 
individuals to shape their own future, OLHSA has directed significant 
resources into education at the youngest ages with its Head Start 
program. Centered on the principle of involving parents directly in 
their children's learning process, OLHSA sees its Head Start program as 
a vital component of its efforts to break the poverty cycle. Through 
this program, OLHSA continues to demonstrate its commitment to 
strengthening communities by providing the basic services that enable 
its clients to attain prosperity.
  Veterans facing housing insecurity can also turn to OLHSA to access 
the VA Supportive Services for the Veteran Families program, which was 
created with the goal of eliminating homelessness amongst veterans and 
their families. By providing case management, rent payment assistance, 
and emergency housing, OLHSA energetically works to ensure that veteran 
families in Oakland and Livingston Counties receive the housing and 
peace of mind they deserve.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency 
celebrates its 50th Anniversary of service to communities across 
Southeastern Michigan, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing 
the remarkable impact it has made on its clients. Thanks to OLHSA's 
leadership and the dedication of its staff, many tens of thousands of 
residents of Oakland and Livingston counties of Michigan have received 
support at critical moments in their lives. In the face of the recent 
economic challenges in Michigan, OLHSA's programs were vital to 
families' continued well-being. I congratulate OLHSA's staff on all of 
their organization's accomplishments over the last five decades and I 
look forward to continuing to work with them to strengthen the 
Southeast Michigan community by empowering its residents with the 
necessary tools to build a successful future.

                          ____________________